Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-25
NOT QUITE.
THE PAVING ORDINANCE STICKS FAST In
THE FIRST BRANCH.
A Lively and Interesting Debate In Council
Last Evening, as TO What Streets Shall
Be Paved.
Second Branch.


regular session, last evening, considering
the acknowledged merit Of the entertain
ment. not over ten spectators being in the
apartment. The opening was rather tame,
the only noteworthy incident being Mr.
Caldwelps double backward sOmersault out
of his chair onto the floor. This great act
was greeted with cheers. While the read
inc of the minutes was in progress the
friends and opponents of the pending sub
stitute for the general appropriation ordl-
nance put in the time counting noses or IN
laboring with wavering or undecided menu
bers. the gentlemen gathering about the
chamber in groups aud keeping up lively
and unceasing buzz, which the. lively tattoo
played by the President with his gavel was
powerless to suppress.
Clerk Bowers read his regular semi
monthly financial statement in his usual
fluent STYLE. 1t showed total balance OF
1921, 256. 20, not including $7,626.9O con-
tanned in the contingent fund of the Board
of Public Works. This little matter dis
posed of, the President announced the I'M
finished business-the pending ordinance.
The Clerk read it by its title, but just as
the vote was about TO be taken Mr.. Cald-
well took the floor, and said he supposed
debate was still in order. No one said
ANYTHING. and Mr.. Caldwell pulled q COM
munication from his pocket, announcing
nr
quested its submission, in order to
clear up what the gentlemen OF the
Board considered o false impression.
Just as Mr.. Caldwell had fixed himself
TO let drive, Mr.. Cruise arose to point OF
order. He did not think debate was in
order. Mr.. Caldwell beamed over his
spectaCles at the gentleman i'll mild sur
prise, and then said the point was prepos-
ferrous. Nothing like it had ever before
been heard of. After he had spoken in
this strain for moment or two, the Presi-
dent ruled the point not well taken, and
Mr.. Caldwell read rs follows:
OFFICE OF
THE BOARD or PUBLIC WORKS, 7
WHEELING, VIVA, May "a. J
To the Honorable Mayor and Council:
GENTLEMEN:-In the Hnteliiyencer OF
this morning appears an article purpOrting
to give the intentions OF this Board regard
ing what work we propose to do, provided
we are allowed to use oar discretion III the
use Of the money appropriated to the use
of the Board.
The article mentioned does not give our
l,,,i
Board to n very great extent, and 1t Is
deemed that IN explanation is necessary.
Our intentions are: First, TO complete
the work contracted for last year. Second,
to pave Main street, from Third street to
the Top Mill, and from Ninth to Tenth
street; Tenth street from Main to Market
streets, and Market street, from Tenth to
Twentieth streets. Third, pave the streets
running to the fire engine houses. Fourth,
pave Seventeenth street from Market to
Chapline street, Is required by the agree
ment made ut the time of purchase of said
street.
1t is believed that the above work, with
necessary sewers and curbing on the Island,
will take all OF the money which can he
placed at the command of the Board.
In order to protect the health OF the
citizens, it is absolutely necessary that 4
considerable amount of sewerage be done
this year. which will take consider
able money,
Respectfully submitted,
BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS,
JAS III. Lancaster,
Clerk
Mr.. Caldwell did not care to follow this
with speech, cOntentiDg himself with
submitting the paper.
Mr.. Robertson took the floor, and after
publicly apOlogi2ing to Supt. Warden, for
a statement he had been led, through
error, to make at the last meeting, he
spoke earnestly in favor of allowing
the work he had mapped out for
the Fourth ward, and contained in the
substitute" to stand. The members OF
the Board were a good deal like other
people, and if they were given unhamp-
cred control Of the money, they would at
least be tempted to use it in an improper
manner. He cited the case of one member
of Board, who had looked after his own
interests so well us TO pave all around GER
tain of his property.
Mr.. Mitchell next spoke. lie made u
long statement, explaining the origin of
the sO-ca,led Robertson substitute, and
the reasons which had called it into being,
and also made an earnest argument In OPP
position to granting the power asked by
the Board, claiming that they were simply
street commissioners, and rs such had no
right to usurp the powers and duties OF
Council If this policy was to obtain, the
present Board would probably be succeeded
by gentlemen of far less integrity, who
would be nothing more than q trio OF
political bosses, with almost unlimited
power.
Mr.. Caldwell thought it was peculiar
argument, advanced by Mr.. Mitchell. His
experience had been. that the higher an
office and the more responsibilities attach
ing to it the greater the chance of getting
good men TO fill it. He alluded to state.
ment in communication in a paper, say
ing that ten taxpayers could he found to
petition Court to enioin the Board. He
doubted ii ten taxpayers Of sufficient re-
sponsibility to be taken for security for
costs could be found to sign any such petit
ton and face the storm of public indigna-
ton which would be raised. He denied
that there was any politics in the proposed
arrangement, and recalled the fact that
Mr.. Hobbs, the President of the Board OF
Public Works, was "a Democrat dyed in
the wOOl-as black as the ink of Dem.
Ocracy could make him."
To this Mr.. Robertson responded by say.
ing that unless he had been misinlOrmed,
Mr.. Caldwell had lObbied in the First
Branch against the Robertson substi,
tute,' alleging it to be Democratic
scheme.
The roll was then called on the adoption
of the ordinance the second time, and il
was agreed TO, ayes, Is, noes II, as follows
Ayes, MeSsrs. Butts, Bremen, Caldwell,
Gavin, Gundling, Harrell, Hartong, Jaeger,
Jones. Kettler, Marsh, Maxwell, Miller
Prayer and Mr.. PreSdent-lj. Noes,
MesSrS. Amber, Davis, Cruise, Healy,
Mitchell, Pracht, Robertson, Steger. Vock.
Ter, Warner, Whyte and IOuDg-l2.
The ordinance then went to the First
Branch.